Bizarre News
By Bose Ayeni
In one of the most bizarre and mind-bending stories to come out of Japan, a man known by his online alias Toco has spent an astonishing $20,000 (over 3 million yen) on a hyper-realistic collie dog costume in order to live out his dream of becoming a dog.
Yes, a real human-sized rough collie — fur, snout, tail, and all.
Toco commissioned a professional Japanese company called Zeppet, which specializes in creating life-like sculptures and costumes for movies and TV. The process took nearly 40 days to complete. The result is nothing short of jaw-dropping: a costume so lifelike that Toco, crawling on all fours, can fool unsuspecting bystanders and passersby into thinking he’s an actual dog.
In videos posted to his popular YouTube channel, Toco is seen performing typical canine behaviors — rolling over, fetching balls, walking with a leash, and even eating from a dog bowl. One clip even shows him “meeting” real dogs in a park, who curiously sniff and bark at him, seemingly unsure whether he’s one of them or something else entirely.
Toco’s motivation, he says, stems from a deep childhood desire to become an animal — specifically a dog. “Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be an animal,” he said. “It’s a desire to escape from the human world and express my identity in a different way. People think it’s strange, but for me, it’s a dream come true.”
He chooses to keep his human identity hidden, fearing judgment from friends, family, and colleagues. “They don’t understand. I don’t want to be laughed at. I just want to live my dream without hurting anyone.”
The story has triggered intense debate online — with some hailing it as an extreme form of freedom of self-expression, and others calling it a symptom of deep societal alienation. Critics argue it reflects modern loneliness, escapism, and an increasingly blurred line between reality and fantasy.
But for Toco, it’s simple. He just wants to be a dog.
Whether it’s performance art, a psychological coping mechanism, or simply the world’s most elaborate hobby, Toco’s surreal transformation has left millions around the world amazed, confused, and undeniably intrigued.
In an age where identity is ever-evolving, perhaps Toco’s story is just another sign of how fluid — and strange — human self-expression has become.
